If you are looking for books on the evidence for an historical Jesus check out this site: also has a lot of great classic and modern apologetics titles as well.
https://truthbomb.blogspot.com/2009/07/free-apologetics-e-book-library.html?m=1
I've found most of the "strongest" Christians I have known are the people God allowed Satan to put through "hell", as you say, knowing it would lead to their ultimate salvation: like Job.
If you have come through the New Age movement you might be interested in this book which talks about its infiltration of some Christian movements.
https://carolynandloren.com/resources-ecw/book/2307-2
Every time the wife drags me into a thrift store I check for Mere Christianity; I have handed out more copies of that book than I can remember.
A.W. Pink is my favourite. His book The Anti-Christ changed how I understood so much of the Old testament.
http://www.godrules.net/library/pink/248pink1.htm